Ettington CofE Primary School

ETTINGTON C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 24 th September 2003

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ETTINGTON C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Ettington CofE Primary School - 2 Crown copyright 2003

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ETTINGTON C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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ETTINGTON C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Ettington CofE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 114

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Churchill Close Ettington Stratford-upon-Avon Warwickshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01789 740236 Fax number: 01789 748172

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr John Walsh

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 th April 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Ettington Primary School is a smaller than average sized primary school for boys and girls aged four to eleven years. It draws its pupils from the village of Ettington and from nearby communities. The area consists of mainly owner-occupied accommodation. At the time of the inspection there were 114 pupils on roll. Children in reception to Year 6 are organised in classes containing children from two year groups. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is low compared with the national average. Fourteen pupils have been identified as having special educational needs (SEN) which is below average. The pupils receive support for dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, emotional, behavioural and speech and communication difficulties. One pupil has a statement of special educational need. There are a few children from minority ethnic backgrounds but none are at an early stage of English language acquisition . Last year, two pupils left and eight joined the school

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

other than at the usual times, which is broadly average. When children start in the reception class, their attainment varies but is mostly above that expected for their age. In 2003 the school was presented with a Schools Achievement Award because of improved National Curriculum test results in 2002. Ettington CofE Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

7979 Mr Anthony Calderbank Lead inspector Science, information and communication technology, physical education and English as an additional language. 9884 Mrs Maureen Roscoe Lay inspector 19386 Mr Trevor Watts Team inspector English, geography, history, religious education and special educational needs. 2465 Mr Geoff Yates Team inspector Foundation Stage, mathematics, art and design, design and technology and music.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

peakschoolhaus Ltd BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Ettington CofE Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 13

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 31

Ettington CofE Primary School - 6 Ettington CofE Primary School - 7

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

A small rural school situated in the village of Ettington, inspected 22 nd – 24 th September 2003 by an inspection team led by Mr Anthony Calderbank.

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Ettington Church of England Primary School provides a good quality of education for its

pupils. Children get off to a good start in the reception class and make good progress. By the end of Year 6, they attain above average standards and achieve well in speaking and listening, reading and mathematics. Pupils achieve very well in science and standards are well above average. Their attitudes to work, behaviour and personal development are good. The quality of teaching is good overall. The school is led well by the headteacher and governing body. It provides good value for money. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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Ettington Church of England Primary School provides a good quality of education for its

• Pupils are achieving well and attaining above average standards in reading, speaking and listening and mathematics. Standards in science are well above average by the end of Year 6; pupils achieve very well in this subject. • Provision for children in the Foundation Stage (the reception class) is good. • The quality of teaching is good overall. • The headteacher and governors lead and manage the school well but co-ordinators are not sufficiently involved in monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. • The provision for pupils’ with special educational needs is very good. • Pupils behave well, relationships are very good and the provision for pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is good. • The standard and quality of writing in English and other subjects produced by higher attaining pupils in Years 3 to 6 are not as good as they should be. • Pupils’ work is not always well presented.

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How the effectiveness of the school has changed since the previous inspection

The school has made satisfactory progress overall in addressing the key areas identified for improvement when it was last inspected in 1998. However, since the appointment of the current headteacher two and a half years ago, the rate of progress has accelerated considerably and has been good. Standards are getting better and the school has recently been presented with a Schools Achievement Award. Pupils are now being consistently challenged in number work. They are making good progress in the development of their investigative skills in science and mathematics. However, more needs to be done to raise the standard and quality of writing produced by higher attainers in Years 3 to 6 and teachers are still not promoting sufficiently high standards of presentation. School development planning has improved significantly and is now of a good quality. However, co- ordinators are still not sufficiently involved in monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and

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How the effectiveness of the school has changed since the previous inspection

learning in their subjects. Ettington CofE Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English B B B B Mathematics D C B C Science D C A A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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design is satisfactory. It was not possible to make any overall judgements about

achievement in design and technology, music and physical education.

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design is satisfactory. It was not possible to make any overall judgements about

Standards are rising because of the strategies put in place over the past two years to improve the quality of teaching. Work seen during the inspection shows that the vast majority of pupils are now achieving well. The youngest children make good progress and achieve well. By the end of the reception year, most will exceed the goals expected for them in most of the areas of learning. They do especially well in their personal, social and emotional development. In Years 1 and 2, pupils continue to achieve well and by the end of Year 2 they are attaining above average standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Though standards in English are above average overall by the end of Year 6 and most pupils achieve well in the juniors (Years 3 to 6), higher attainers make better progress in reading than in writing. Pupils are doing well in mathematics and particularly well in science. The school places a strong emphasis on scientific investigations and this is reflected in

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design is satisfactory. It was not possible to make any overall judgements about

National Curriculum test results. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are average but are rising rapidly. Achievement is satisfactory. There is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,

are good . They have a very good understanding of right and wrong. Their attitudes to work and behaviour in and around school are good. Attendance is above the national average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching is good overall throughout the school. The quality of teaching is often very good in Class 4 (Years 5 and 6). Good use is made of assessment information by the reception class teacher to ensure that work is matched to the children’s prior attainment. Children learn well through a rich diet of structured and independent activities. English is taught well overall across the school but higher attainers are not being suitably challenged in their writing in Years 3 to 6. The teaching of mathematics and numeracy is good across all years because the National Numeracy Strategy has been particularly well adapted to the needs of the pupils. The arrangement whereby Class 3 (Years 3 and 4) are split into year groups for the teaching of literacy and numeracy works well and is making a significant contribution to the rising standards. Learning is very good in science because teachers provide pupils with a very good range of interesting investigations. Teachers are making increasing

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

use of ICT across subjects. Strengths in the quality of teaching include good subject knowledge, good behaviour management and the use of a variety of teaching and learning approaches that keep pupils interested and motivated. Ettington CofE Primary School - 9

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good . The headteacher provides the school with good leadership and has put in place effective systems to improve standards. As a result pupils make good progress and achieve well, and standards are rising. All members of staff have worked effectively together to improve standards in English, mathematics and science over the last two years. These areas have rightly been the school’s priorities. Co-ordinators now need to give time to monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning in other subjects such as history, geography and religious education. The governing body fulfils all its responsibilities well and has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors are appropriately involved in the strategic management of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents think that this is a good school, that children like going to school and that teaching is good. A significant minority would like better information about how their child is getting on and improvements with regards to homework provision. Children feel that they are well cared for.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Ensure that higher attainers in Years 3 to 6 are provided with suitably challenging opportunities to develop their writing skills in English and other subjects. • Promote consistently high standards of presentation throughout the school. • Ensure that co-ordinators are involved more in the monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. Ettington CofE Primary School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards in English and mathematics are above average. They are well above in science. Pupils are now achieving well throughout the school. Particularly good progress is made in Class 4 because of some very good teaching. There is no significant difference between the performance of boys or girls. The very small number of pupils from minority ethic backgrounds make good progress and are fully integrated into all aspects of school life. Pupils with special educational needs also achieve well because of very good provision. This is a small school and class sizes vary each year. Any comparisons made with other schools need to be treated with great care because of the well below average number of pupils in each age group. For example, in the current Year 6, one child is equivalent to around eight percentage points.

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Strengths

• Standards in reading, speaking and listening are above average throughout the school. • Pupils’ attainment and achievement in mathematics are good. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of number are particularly well developed. • Pupils achieve especially well in science and by the end of Year 6 standards are well above average. Their investigative skills are developed very effectively. • Children make good progress in the reception class. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make good progress.

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Weaknesses

• The quality of writing produced by higher attainers in Years 3 to 6 is not as good as it should be.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 18.0 (17.1) 15.8 (15.7)

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Commentary

There were 21 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.9 (28.1) 27.0 (27.0) Mathematics 27.6 (26.6) 26.7(26.6) Science 30.6 (28.4) 28.3(28.3) There were 20 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests and assessments taken at the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment was well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. The school’s results in writing were in the top five per cent in the country. When compared to similar schools, attainment was still well above average in reading and writing and average in mathematics. In the same year, pupils in Year 6 achieved above average standards in English and mathematics and well above in science. When the results Ettington CofE Primary School - 11 are compared with those achieved by the same pupils at the end of Year 2, they show that progress made by the pupils was above average in English, average in mathematics and well above average in science. The trend in the school’s results over the past five years has been in line with the national trend but this piece of statistical information needs treating with care

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Commentary

bearing in mind the small number of pupils in some year groups. However, National Curriculum test results clearly support inspection findings that standards and achievement are getting better and that the actions taken by the headteacher and all staff to improve teaching and the quality of learning are being effective.

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Commentary

2. Children start school in the reception class with above average skills. They settle in quickly and the majority are on target to exceed the expected goals of the Foundation Stage in most of the six areas of learning by the time they start Year 1. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about creative development. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is very good. Overall, children make good progress in the reception class and achieve well. These judgements are an improvement on those made at the time of the previous inspection.

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Commentary

3. Inspection evidence shows that pupils in Years 1 and 2 are making good progress and achieving well. The standard of work seen was above average in reading, writing, speaking and listening, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

4. Standards in English are above average overall by the end of Year 6 and most pupils achieve well. However, in the juniors, higher attainers make better progress in reading than in writing. This is reflected in the quality of writing produced in other subjects such as history, religious education and geography. Pupils do well in mathematics and particularly well in science. Since the last inspection, the school has worked hard and successfully to ensure consistent progress in the development of pupils’ investigative skills in mathematics and science. As a result more pupils are now working at the higher levels in these subjects.

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Commentary

5. Though standards in ICT are average and pupils’ achievements satisfactory, they are improving. The recent investment in some up-to-date equipment, and a systematic programme of skills training for staff, have ensured that teachers have more confidence in teaching ICT. However, there is still a need for more computers.

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Commentary

6. Standards and pupils’ achievements in all other subjects are satisfactory. It was not possible to make an overall judgement about achievement or standards in design and technology, music and physical education because of insufficient evidence.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attendance, attitudes, behaviour and personal development are good. As pupils progress through the school they become more mature and sensible. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Strengths

• Pupils have good attitudes to school. • Behaviour is good. • Relationships are very good. • Personal development is good. • Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Weaknesses

• Pupils’ work is not always neat and tidy. Ettington CofE Primary School - 12

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Commentary

7. As at the time of the previous inspection, pupils have good attitudes to both school and their learning. They are happy and enjoy school. Pupils are well motivated, concentrate hard, and generally want to do well. They become particularly involved when things catch their interest. For example, during a mathematics lesson excellent use was made of ICT to show how fractions can be simplified. This caught the pupils’ imagination and enhanced the quality of learning. Children in the reception class show a confident and mature approach both to work and within their relationships with each other. They listen attentively, concentrate well, and are developing good social skills as they engage in their tasks and activities. The children work and play very well together, happily sharing their toys and resources. However, in Years 1 to 6 pupils do not always take sufficient pride in how they present their work.

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Commentary

8. Behaviour in and around the school is consistently good and has been well maintained since the previous inspection. The school has an orderly atmosphere and pupils are well aware of the school’s rules, some of which they have helped devise . Pupils are very friendly, happy to talk about what they are doing and willing to show their work to visitors. When interviewed, they said that the school is a happy and secure place with little bullying. A high degree of harmony exists between pupils. There have been no exclusions in the school over the last two years.

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Commentary

9. Relationships in the school are very good, both between staff and pupils, and amongst the pupils themselves. Social development is good. There are frequent chances for pupils to work together in pairs or larger groups. They co-operate well and this promotes a good working environment, making a positive impact on learning. For example, pupils were observed working well together in groups planning a sequence of movements in a gymnastics lesson and working on a PowerPoint presentation about the Greeks.

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Commentary

10. Pupils’ personal development is good overall. They are sensible and mature when they carry out a range of important duties and responsibilities. This is very much in evidence when they take charge of the office at lunch times, dealing with visitors and answering the ‘phone. However, pupils are currently not sufficiently involved in making decisions about the day-to- day running of the school. This is something the school is aware of and intends to address later in the year.

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Commentary

11. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. These judgements are similar to those made at the time of the previous inspection. All staff in the school contribute to the positive climate of respect for others, which enhances the spiritual development of pupils. School assemblies are very well planned and have a good balance of singing, prayer and reflection. Visitors such as the local vicar, who is also the school chaplain, enhance the spiritual quality of assemblies. Pupils are clear in their understanding of right and wrong and feel supported by the values of the adults in the school. Pupils experiencing difficulties with regards to relationships receive extra support from the special needs assistant in ’Friendship Groups’ . This initiative is effective in enhancing pupils’ understanding of self-worth and relationships with others in and out of school.

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Commentary

12. Teachers use visits to places of interest such as Charlecote Park and St John’s Museum to enhance pupils’ understanding of their own cultural traditions. An Asian Arts Week recently held in school gave pupils a good insight and appreciation of Indian art and customs. Religious artefacts were used to very good effect in a religious education lesson to develop pupils’ awareness of Islam.

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Commentary

13. Attendance figures for the school are good. The rate is above the national average. Pupils arrive at school and in class on time and lessons commence promptly. Ettington CofE Primary School - 13

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.5 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 99 0 0 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0 Any other ethnic group 2 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 1 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good overall and improving. Strengths include the quality of teaching and learning, the use being made of assessment information in English, mathematics and science and the good range of out-of-school activities. The main weaknesses are the insufficient use made of assessment information in subjects such as history and geography to improve standards and the lack of suitable opportunities for higher attainers to develop their writing skills.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. It is at its best in Class 4 where a high proportion of the teaching seen was very good. Assessment procedures are good in English, mathematics and science and good use is being made of the information. They are very good in the Foundation Stage.

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Strengths

• Teachers’ subject knowledge is good. • Staff have implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies effectively. • Assessment procedures in the Foundation Stage are very good. They are good in English, mathematics and science and the information is being used well to improve standards. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. • The management of pupils’ behaviour is good. • The use made of ICT in other subjects. Ettington CofE Primary School - 14

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Weaknesses

• Insufficient use is being made of assessment information in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. • Teachers’ written comments made when marking pupils’ work do not give pointers for development.

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Commentary

14. Teaching is good in the reception class and children are given a good start to their formal schooling. Very good use is made of assessment information by the reception class teacher to ensure that work is set at the right level for the children. Children learn well through a rich diet of structured and independent activities. In Years 1 to 6, teachers have good subject knowledge and plan conscientiously. The school has introduced the literacy hour effectively and adapted it to meet the needs of the pupils. For example, guided reading sessions are now timetabled separately. As a result English is taught well overall across the school although higher attainers are not being suitably challenged in their writing in Years 3 to 6. Pupils use their literacy skills satisfactorily in other subjects. The school has worked hard with help from the local education authority to improve the quality of provision in mathematics.

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Commentary

Teachers are now more confident in their use of the National Numeracy Strategy and as a result the teaching of mathematics and the quality of learning are good across all years. The arrangement whereby Class 3 are split into year groups for the teaching of literacy and numeracy works well and is making a significant contribution to the rising standards. Learning is very good in science because teachers provide pupils with a very good range of interesting investigations which they enjoy enormously.

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Commentary

15. Teachers are making increasing use of ICT across subjects. This improves the quality of learning because it has the effect of helping pupils develop such skills as, for example, researching information and presenting information in different ways.

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Commentary

16. Teachers use to good effect a variety of methods and organisations to suit the knowledge and skills they want the pupils to acquire and there is generally a good balance of whole- class teaching, group work and individual teaching. Teachers emphasise to pupils the learning objectives of the lesson at the very beginning. As a result pupils understand exactly what is expected from them and little time is wasted. This adds to the pace of the lesson. Teachers are proficient in the management of discussions and questioning is well used to probe pupils’ understanding. As a result the majority of pupils are interested and well motivated. Overall, teachers manage their pupils well and have established clear expectations and codes of classroom behaviour which are used to good effect.

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Commentary

17. Children are very thoroughly assessed when they come to the school, and this helps staff to identify any pupils who need extra help with their learning. In the rest of the school assessment procedures are good in English, mathematics and science and good use is being made of the information to track pupils’ individual progress. In all other subjects pupils’ progress is now being monitored and recorded using the school’s ‘Bullseye “I can” targets’. This system is beginning to work well but has not been in place long enough for the information to be used effectively to improve standards and future planning in the subjects. Books are marked on a regular basis, and written comments are generally positive and supportive but do not always indicate clearly and precisely to pupils what they could next in order to improve their work.

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Commentary

18. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and learn successfully because of the good teaching. Each of the pupils with additional learning needs has a clear list of individual targets. These may be for language or number work, or for social and behaviour improvements. These targets are well considered by staff when working with the pupils, whether in individual or small group activities in the classrooms, or with support staff in a separate room. These separate sessions are often taken by a very capable support assistant who also gives a lot of additional help in classes. In the classrooms, teachers have good Ettington CofE Primary School - 15 knowledge of their pupils’ particular needs. They mainly prepare their lessons with different work that is at a suitable level to challenge the least able pupils. The support assistants are good at supporting pupils as they tackle this work individually or in small groups. Pupils’

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Commentary

progress is checked regularly and their individual targets updated.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 23 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 23 lessons

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory overall, with some good features. A particular strength is the provision for pupils with special educational needs.

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Strengths

• Science, mathematics, and aspects of English such as speaking, listening and reading. • The many opportunities out of school hours to take part in wider activities. • The support for pupils with special learning needs. • The Foundation Stage. • Links with secondary schools that the older pupils move on to.

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Weaknesses

• In English, higher attaining pupils do not have good opportunities to write passages that are of a good length and quality. • Work is not always well presented. • The accommodation is cramped for the number of pupils in some rooms.

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Commentary

19. A satisfactory range of subjects is taught throughout the school. Each subject receives a suitable amount of time, with good emphasis going to English, mathematics and science. There are clear policies and plans of what should be taught in the long term for all subjects, and teachers use these well. The plans for several subjects are being reviewed to see if they have been as good as they might be, now that their first ‘cycle’ has been completed. English is being reviewed to see how pupils’ writing can be given more opportunities and encouragement to improve.

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Commentary

20. Out of school, pupils have good opportunities to take part in many clubs, sports events and other activities such as gardening, recorders, dancing, football, netball and an art club. Good use is made of the local area, particularly for history and geography lessons, helping pupils to become aware of their rich local heritage.

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Commentary

21. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. A clear and very well structured system is in place. As a result, pupils who have learning difficulties are very well supported by the whole organisation of the school, including a dedicated support assistant, a well-organised co-ordinator for special needs, and the support given by teachers and assistants in class lessons. Whether being supported in their own classes, or receiving individual help in a separate room, the lower achieving pupils make progress that is good.

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Commentary

22. All pupils are well included in lessons and out-of-school activities, regardless of their abilities, ethnic background, or whether they are girls or boys. The school makes good efforts to check on the progress of all pupils, and to compare their progress. Ettington CofE Primary School - 16 23. There are very good links with the several secondary schools that pupils move on to at the end of Year 6. These are positive links that continue throughout each year, including a recent ‘Intercultural’ week, and having secondary pupils in for their work experience weeks at Ettington. There are good introductory days at the secondary schools for all pupils to attend, and particularly good liaison for the less able pupils, or those who might find it hard to settle for other reasons.

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Commentary

24. The accommodation and resources are satisfactory overall. However, some parts of the building are cramped and the library is inadequate. There are too few resources in religious education. On the other hand, the learning in physical education and English, for example, is well supported by good equipment and materials. Teachers have good subject knowledge and are able to teach all subjects. They make good use of the resources at their disposal, whether in the form of their support assistants, the equipment and materials, or the space available.

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Care, guidance and support

The school cares well for all pupils and gives them good advice and guidance, ensuring their health and safety. These aspects are very good in the Foundation Stage. Seeking and acting on pupils’ views are done to a satisfactory extent.

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Strengths

• Staff have created a supportive environment where pupils are treated with respect and given good attention which helps them thrive. • Teachers track pupils’ progress and use the information gained when setting work in the classroom for English, mathematics, science and in the Foundation Stage.

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Weaknesses

• Pupils’ involvement in setting individual educational targets is underdeveloped.

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Commentary

25. On a day-to-day basis, staff conduct activities with all due care and attention. Pupil questionnaires provided strong evidence that they felt cared for and able to approach all adults if they felt worried or needed help during lessons. The majority of parents echoed this positive view because they know that their children are cared for well and therefore happy to learn. Inspectors agree. Parents are also pleased with the effective staggered induction process which promotes a good rapport with children and also positive relationships between teachers and parents.

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Commentary

26. All staff provide good levels of personal support and guidance for pupils. They manage behaviour well and pupils say that teachers are fair. Classroom assistants encourage and guide pupils well, building self-esteem and also supporting learning. The identification and assessment procedures for pupils with special needs are clear and effective. Their work is monitored well to ensure that they are making the progress they are capable of.

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Commentary

27. The results of statutory and optional National Curriculum tests are used with the outcomes from frequent assessments in English and mathematics to set whole-school targets. This information is used effectively to track pupils’ progress from year to year. The school is aware of the need to improve this process further to introduce personal individualised target setting and closely involve pupils so that they will be more aware of how they can improve on their own best efforts in particular subjects.

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Commentary

28. Many pupils indicated that teachers listen to their ideas in class and welcome their comments and ideas. A new initiative of consulting pupils began in February this year. Their Ettington CofE Primary School - 17 suggestions concerning improved toilet facilities have been eagerly taken up and implemented.

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Commentary

29. Legal requirements for health and safety are met. Staff know what to do in the event of a concern over child protection. The school’s arrangements are satisfactory and when training for all staff has occurred and appropriate information has been given to parents, all requirements will be met, and in line with locally agreed expectations. Welfare facilities are good, reflected in the quality of care offered to pupils when minor accidents occur. Staff are aware of safety considerations that relate to their teaching and take suitable steps to ensure pupils’ well-being.

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Commentary

30. The school is a safe place for pupils and those that work there. The recognition of risks in how the school is used at the start, middle and end of the day has not yet been embedded in the school’s practice.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with other schools and the community are good . The school’s links with parents make a satisfactory contribution to the quality of education the school provides. The content and range of information provided for parents in school reports are not helping them to know enough about what their children can or cannot do or enlisting their effective active support

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Strengths

• Pupils’ learning and personal development are enhanced by links with the community, including other educational establishments. • There is a close working partnership with associated schools. This ensures very effective and supportive transition. • Parents appreciate the school’s welcoming style. • Many parents make a good contribution to their children’s learning. Good numbers attend progress reporting evenings and class assembles.

p.17

Weaknesses

• Pupils’ annual reports do not give targets for improvement.

p.17

Commentary

31. Many parents agree that their children like school. They are satisfied with much of what the school provides, are pleased with the care it provides and agree that this is helping their children to be self-disciplined. Parental involvement supports pupils’ learning at school and at home to a satisfactory extent. An active Parent Teacher Association draws the community into school through organised social events. The school hosts well-attended Parents’ Evenings and a limited number of workshops are held. These are not so popular and the school is looking at ways to address this issue.

p.17

Commentary

32. Most parents feel comfortable approaching the school to share concerns or to offer voluntary help. Some parents, for example, reported bullying incidents which were resolved effectively. Volunteers feel valued and are invited into every classroom.

p.17

Commentary

33. Parents support homework. A significant number of replies to the questionnaire filled in by parents prior to the inspection raised some concern about the status of homework as sometimes it was not marked. In addition some parents do not feel that enough is done to explain how they can help their child at home.

p.17

Commentary

34. Frequent newsletters keep parents informed of general school matters. Although some parents describe these as bland, they do serve to encourage links between home and school. Parents have received information on what their children will be taught this term. This Ettington CofE Primary School - 18 was a direct result of the school seeking parents’ views earlier this year. This is good practice. Parents also indicated a need for specific ‘class’ information which would allow them to brief their children, about temporary teachers for example.

p.17

Commentary

35. Pupils’ annual reports contain a wealth of information but are weak in describing areas where progress has slowed. They meet requirements but do not indicate a target for improvement. This would help parents to become more involved in their children’s learning.

p.18

Commentary

36. Parents value the school’s involvement with the local community and other schools. This includes the local pre-school group. Liaison with the pre-school group and local secondary schools prepare children very well for the next stage of their education. Links with other establishments occur through the Warwickshire Business Partnership. The well-maintained church links and work with Ettington Arts Group broaden pupils’ horizons.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good .

p.18

Strengths

• Strategic planning is good. Since her appointment two years ago, the headteacher has led the school effectively and as a result pupils’ standards of attainment and the quality of teaching have risen. • The school has a very good Christian ethos in which all pupils receive the help and support they need. • The headteacher is supported well by the deputy head.

p.18

Strengths

• The headteacher supports her staff well and has ensured that suitable training has been provided to improve staff subject expertise, especially in mathematics and ICT. • Most policies are implemented well by all members of staff but there is an inconsistency in teachers’ marking and the presentation of pupils' work. • The provision for special educational needs is very well managed.

p.18

Weaknesses

• Subject co-ordinators are not sufficiently involved in monitoring and evaluating standards in some subjects.

p.18

Strengths

• The governors have a good grasp of the school's strengths and weaknesses. • Through their appropriate committee structure and individual subject responsibilities, they carry out their duties well

p.18

Commentary

37. This is a small school and the headteacher maintains a sensible balance between regular class teaching and regular classroom monitoring to ensure a good quality of education for pupils of all levels of achievement. The deputy headteacher provides good curriculum leadership and has ensured, for example, that both Foundation Stage and special needs provision are of a very good quality. Ettington CofE Primary School - 19 38. The School Development Plan has improved significantly since the last inspection. It is based on a thorough review of the strengths and weaknesses in the school’s performance and focused appropriately upon the raising of standards. All staff and governors have the opportunity to contribute ideas.

p.18

Commentary

39. Key staff have worked hard and successfully with the headteacher and governors to raise standards in English, mathematics, science and ICT. This has been the priority and rightly so. While most school policies are being implemented well throughout the school, a survey of pupils' work previously completed shows that in Years 3 to 6 work is sometimes untidy and handwriting unsatisfactory. In addition there are inconsistencies in the marking of pupils’ work. Comments are mostly supportive but do not indicate to pupils what they should do next in order to improve. The time is now right for co-ordinators to become more involved in monitoring and evaluating teaching and the quality of learning in other subjects such as history, geography and religious education to ensure that all agreed policies, for example with regards to marking and presentation, are being put into practice.

p.19

Commentary

40. The headteacher sought the help of the local education authority staff to improve staff confidence and expertise in teaching mathematics and music. This help has resulted in mathematics being well taught by all members of staff. Pupils are now achieving above average standards in the subject. The minutes from governors' meetings contain well- documented evidence that governors have a good knowledge of strengths and weaknesses in subjects. Despite budget limitations, they have made their top priority the need to maintain a good staffing level. Regular reports from the headteacher confirm that as a result pupils make good progress.

p.19

Commentary

41. The school is effective in ensuring that all pupils are fully involved in every aspect of school life and racial harmony is promoted positively. The management of the support for pupils who have special educational needs is very good. The help includes a well-organised co-ordinator for special needs, a dedicated support assistant who works with individuals and small groups, and classroom teachers and assistants who provide different learning activities and work materials for the lower achieving pupils. There is a small but well-equipped base for the special needs pupils, known as ‘The Launchpad’, where pupils can have one-to-one lessons for short focused activities. One member of the school governors is very involved in the pupils’ learning, and is frequently helping in classes and with small groups. Pupils have lessons in all of the subjects that the school offers, regardless of their abilities or particular

p.19

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 307,520 Balance from previous year 16,789 Total expenditure 309,217 Balance carried forward to the next 15,092 Expenditure per pupil 3,061 Ettington CofE Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage has improved since the previous inspection and is good . Children make good progress, achieve well and are on course to exceed the early learning goals in most of the areas of learning by the end of the reception year. No judgement can be made about creative development because of insufficient evidence.

p.20

Strengths

• Teaching is now of a good quality. • The teacher has excellent relationships with the children and a very good knowledge of the early years curriculum. • Very good assessments of what children know, understand and can do are carried out and the information gathered is used very well to set targets for improvement. • There is good leadership and management. • Resources have been improved.

p.20

Weaknesses

• The lack of teacher assistant support at certain times of day results in, for example, planned use of the outside area not being possible during these times because of concerns over possible health and safety issues. When a classroom assistant is present, she makes a satisfactory contribution to the progress children make and works very well with the class teacher.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for personal, social and emotional development is very good .

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Teaching is very good. The whole ethos of the room is one of working together and children make very good progress and are well on their way to exceeding the early learning goals in this aspect of the curriculum. The following examples typify the reception experience: • Children come into the classroom confidently and are happy and settled. As a result they share equipment fairly and are happy to 'take their turn'. They get on well with each other and behave very well. • At regular intervals during the day, groups of children select their own activities with the minimum of fuss. • The class teacher has an excellent relationship with the children. Despite staffing constraints and the need to cater for pupils in Year 1 as well, she ensures a balance between whole- class, group and independent activities. This helps children to sustain interest and concentration.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

The provision for communication, language and literacy is good .

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Teaching is good. Children are on course to exceed expectations in this area. The following examples provide a flavour of what children experience: • Children have good speaking and listening skills. ‘Carpet time’ provides good opportunities to talk things of interest and to learn new sounds. Ettington CofE Primary School - 21 • The 'Queen of Hearts' role-play area allows them to act out their ideas and provides a stimulus for children to develop their writing skills in sending postcards to the queen. • Children work well with the classroom assistant and the teacher in developing their early reading skills. • Evidence from the previous year shows good progress in the development of writing skills with children by the end of the year writing their own sentences. • The book trolley is readily accessible and used well.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

An area for further development is the lack of examples of stimulating writing around the room to help move children's learning on.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for mathematical development is good .

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Teaching is good overall. Children are on course to exceed the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. There is good direct teaching of basic skills, for example of simple number patterns. However, tasks planned to fit with the basic teaching element are not always sufficiently structured and as a result mathematical ideas are not very evident in children's free play. • Children are keen and interested and have a good understanding of basic numbers. • Opportunities are sometimes missed in allowing children to use their mathematical skills when, for example, using the sand tray.

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

The provision for developing children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Teaching is of a good quality. Children are provided with a wide range of experiences. As a result they are on course to exceed the expectations in this area by the end of the inspection year. The following examples illustrate some of the things they experience: • A grandparent dressed up as Samuel Pepys helps them extend their understanding of the importance of diaries in remembering the past. • Children take part in a geographical trail round the school grounds. • Children are given good opportunities to develop their ICT skills through use of the Splosh program and by operating the tape recorder. • They experience traditions from other cultures by taking part in a Diwali meal.

p.21

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

No overall judgements can be made because of insufficient evidence.

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Children’s physical development is good .

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Teaching is good overall but a lack of additional staff support limits the use of the outside area. However, children are on course to exceed the early learning goals in physical development. • Children make very good use of hall space and can hold a balance well in the form of a tall shape. • Children enjoy demonstrating their movements to the rest of the class. • Hand-eye co-ordination is very good. Everyday tools are handled well. Ettington CofE Primary School - 22

p.21

ENGLISH

Provision in English is good . Pupils make good progress and achieve well throughout the school. The standards that they reach are above national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. However, the standard of writing by the more able pupils is not as good as it should be in Years 3 to 6.

p.22

Strengths

• Pupils’ skills in speaking, listening and reading are developed well and standards are above average. • Support for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Use of the National Literacy Strategy is good.

p.22

Weaknesses

• The quality of writing produced by the more able pupils’ in Years 3 to 6 is not as good as it should be. • Standards of presentation and handwriting in Years 3 to 6 are not high enough. • The co-ordinator is not sufficiently involved in monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning in the subject. • The library is too small.

p.22

Commentary

42. All through the school, pupils become more and more able to speak clearly and to express themselves confidently. They listen carefully, hold sensible discussions, and can act out different situations from books, such as Nicholas Nickleby . Pupils ask relevant questions, and develop their own ideas about a range of subjects, stories, books and people.

p.22

Commentary

43. In their reading, the younger pupils have developed good confidence by the end of Year 2; the more able pupils read simple stories with good expression, and they remember what has happened so far in their stories. Less able pupils make good efforts to read, and try to build words up, and use the general sense of a sentence to help them work out what a word is.

p.22

Commentary

44. By the end of Year 6, the more able pupils read with confidence from a range of different texts such as newspapers, the Internet, factual books, and modern and classical stories. They discuss the various characters in stories, what motivates them, and how the author creates different feelings in the reader. Lower achieving pupils read a variety of texts sufficiently well to explain what they are about, and what has happened. They try to think what might happen next, based on their understanding of the plot and the people in the story.

p.22

Commentary

45. In Years 3 to 6, pupils’ writing skills do not develop as well as their other English skills. Though standards are average, the more able pupils are not expected to write sufficiently long passages. They can build up a story plot, creating an introduction, middle and ending and satisfactorily write in different styles, such as poetry, letters and sets of instructions. Although pupils’ spelling is satisfactory in the main, the higher achievers are not improving their spelling and use of a very good range of words as well as they should. They learn the rules of grammar and punctuation well in their English lessons, but do not always apply them satisfactorily when writing in other subjects. The quality of pupils’ handwriting and general presentation of their work is not as good as it should be. Teachers do not consistently expect pupils to write neatly and clearly in all of their work. The school has begun some actions to

p.22

Commentary

improve writing standards. These are beginning to work and standards in Years 1 and 2 are above average.

p.22

Commentary

46. The teaching and learning are good overall. Teachers plan their lessons well, and use the National Literacy Strategy well both in the structure of individual lessons, and in the long-term Ettington CofE Primary School - 23 planning. They manage pupils’ behaviour well, and motivate pupils to want to learn through their own enthusiasm and knowledge. Teachers are beginning to use computers more effectively for pupils to find information, and to write short passages. They use question and answer techniques well to encourage pupils’ thinking, and they involve all of the pupils in the class at an appropriate level to encourage them to put good effort into their work. However, teachers very rarely make any comments in their marking about pupils’ handwriting and general neatness of presentation; pupils are not expected to correct mistakes, or to write their work out again, neatly. Support assistants are well used to help the less able pupils

p.22

Commentary

47. This subject is led and managed satisfactorily. Teachers are well trained and capable. There are good resources available throughout the school, although the library is too small and not easily used as a study area. The co-ordinator does not have opportunities to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in the subject. Too little progress has been made on one issue from the previous inspection – the more able pupils not writing as well as they could do.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. Pupils make satisfactory use of their literacy skills in other subjects. Their reading, speaking and listening skills are particularly well developed across the curriculum. However, in other subjects, pupils are not often expected to write anything at length in, for instance, geography, history, science or religious education. Mainly, the work is completing sentences, answering questions, and filling in gaps in sentences. This does not provide a lot of support for pupils to develop their overall writing skills.

p.23

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is good overall. Pupils make good progress and achieve standards above those found in most schools.

p.23

Strengths

• There is a strong focus on developing pupils' numerical skills and as a result pupils apply them well when carrying out mental calculations. • The weaknesses found in the previous inspection with regard to pupils' progress in Years 3 and 4 have been dealt with effectively and pupils now make good progress in these year groups. • Teachers' confidence and skills in teaching the subject have improved as a result of the support provided by the local education authority. • The subject is well led and managed. • Pupils enjoy their mathematics lessons.

p.23

Weaknesses

• Sometimes pupils' work is not set out neatly. • Pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to use their mathematical skills in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

49. Standards of attainment in mathematics are above those found in most schools by Years 2 and 6. There are two main reasons for standards rising since 2000. Firstly, the co-ordinator (the headteacher) recognised the need to provide additional training for all members of staff. As a result teachers gained in confidence in working with the National Numeracy Strategy. Secondly, the weaknesses in teaching identified in the previous report have been dealt with by the headteacher working alongside the Class 3 teacher on a daily basis and teaching the Year 4 pupils. This pattern of organisation, with pupils being taught in single age groups, has been successful in ensuring that pupils make good progress. Discussions held with pupils Ettington CofE Primary School - 24 indicate that they enjoy the work they do in mathematics. This was borne out in one class by a full show of hands in the first part of a numeracy lesson (mental starter) every time the

p.23

Commentary

teacher asked a question. Pupils were almost bursting to be asked to answer so that they could show off their knowledge.

p.24

Commentary

50. Evidence from lessons shows that the subject is taught well throughout the school and pupils of all attainment levels are being suitably challenged. There is now no significant difference between different groups of pupils. For example, in Year 2 most pupils can quickly and accurately work out the total cost of three items from a menu. In Year 6 pupils are eager to apply their mathematical knowledge and can correctly simplify improper fractions, answer number problems involving percentages and identify the properties of different three- dimensional shapes. A survey of previous work shows there is a suitable balance between the use of teacher- and commercially-produced worksheets. However, pupils do not always present their work well.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

51. A survey of pupils' work in other subjects shows that pupil are provided with a satisfactory range of opportunities to use their mathematics skills in other subjects but the practice is not consistent across the school. There are some satisfactory examples of graphs being produced in science showing how long it took sugar lumps to dissolve in water at different temperatures and timelines being used in history. In Years 5 and 6 there is a good example of pupils using their mathematical skills in design and technology with star profiles being produced depicting the texture, shape, colour and cost of different types of bread. However, such practices need to be applied more consistently.

p.24

Strengths

• Pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of the topics covered. • Pupils have a good understanding of how to carry out an investigation. • The quality of teaching is good. • Good use is made of ICT in Class 4. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good.

p.24

Weaknesses

• The quality of the written work produced by the more able pupils is not as good as it should be. • Pupils do not always take a pride in the presentation of their work. • The co-ordinator does not monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and pupils’ work.

p.24

Commentary

52. Standards by the end of Year 2 are above average and well above by the end of Year 6. These judgements are an improvement on those made at the time of the previous inspection when standards were found to be above average by the end of Year 6. There have been other significant improvements. For example, there is now a consistent approach to the development of scientific investigations and good assessment procedures have been introduced. As a result all pupils make very good progress and achieve very well, including those with special educational needs. There is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls.

p.24

Commentary

53. The good attitudes and behaviour of pupils contribute positively to the good standards pupils achieve and to the quality of learning. In a very good lesson in Year 2, the pupils sensibly Ettington CofE Primary School - 25 described the properties of different materials in a ‘feely bag’. They made very good progress developing scientific language as they classified materials according to whether they were breakable, smooth, cool or waterproof . Very good questioning by the teacher challenged the pupils to apply their knowledge to problems such as, “What would happen if I had a knife made of glass?” Teachers ensure that from an early age pupils develop a good understanding of what makes a test fair and how to record their investigations clearly using the ‘cloud’ recording sheet.

p.24

Commentary

54. During Years 3 to 6, pupils make good progress as they cover a broad range of science topics and learn good scientific skills of enquiry. In Class 3 they study conditions for plant growth and have a reasonable understanding of conditions needed for plants to thrive. Pupils in Class 4 can explain why a person’s pulse rate increases as a result of exercise. During a lesson observed during the inspection, they made good use of the interactive whiteboard and an ICT program to model how the heart worked. They enjoy the experiments they do and believe that they have the “best science teacher”.

p.25

Commentary

55. From examining pupils’ work, it is clear that pupils are taught to record the planning process well, using a common format. This form of recording helps lower attainers well as they are able to record their findings despite some difficulties with writing. Pupils record the results of their investigations using their own words but work is not always well presented and higher attainers are not being suitably challenged in their writing.

p.25

Commentary

56. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Teachers thoroughly plan lessons, which interest pupils and arouse their curiosity. For example, in Class 2 pupils enjoyed describing how they had tested a variety of materials to see how waterproof they were. Teachers develop pupils’ scientific thinking skilfully and sometimes include the researching of information to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. For example, in Class 3, as a result of investigating leaves for homework, pupils were able to explain in detail how carbon dioxide was removed from the air by plants as a result of photosynthesis.

p.25

Commentary

57. The subject co-ordinator is very enthusiastic. Though she has been able to work alongside one teacher, she has not had any other opportunities to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. Records are being kept of individual pupils’ progress and pupil’ work is scrutinised to check on progress.

p.25

Strengths

• Good use is made of ICT in other subjects.

p.25

Weaknesses

• There are not enough up-to-date computers. • The co-ordinator does not monitor the quality of teaching and learning. • There is no room to set up a computer suite.

p.25

Weaknesses

58. As at the time of the previous inspection, standards are in line with national expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6 and pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. However, ICT is a rapidly improving subject in the school due to the efforts of an enthusiastic and knowledgeable subject co-ordinator, recent staff training which has furthered teachers’ knowledge and skills, and the addition of some up-to-date equipment. The school does not have enough room to create a computer suite but has placed an interactive whiteboard and projector in one of the classrooms and timetabled its use so that every class has the opportunity once a week to be taught specific skills. The only drawback to this is that pupils do not have the chance to practise their new skills immediately and some have to wait until later in the week. The school has made good progress in the application of ICT across the curriculum, and standards and pupils’ achievements are

p.25

Weaknesses

Ettington CofE Primary School - 26 beginning to rise. The co-ordinator has only been in post for 12 months and has not been able to monitor teaching and learning to identify strengths and weaknesses in other classes. 59. Pupils in Year 2 have sound word-processing skills and can manipulate a mouse with a good degree of accuracy. They are aware of the wide use of computers and especially how control of them can support their learning and make life easier by, for example, writing and sending letters using e-mail. When discussing their favourite programs, pupils used a wide range of ICT terminology such as icon, double click and interactive whiteboard. They can save and print their work independently and understand the purpose of many of the icons on the tool bar. Pupils described how they enjoyed using an art program and explained in detail how to change the background to their picture and to use spray . They carry out simple word processing as when

p.26

Weaknesses

60. Pupils in Year 6 have developed a satisfactory range of ICT skills which they use confidently. These range from straightforward word-processing skills to more complex operations such as programming a series of instructions to operate a set of traffic lights. Their typing skills are well developed and they can cut and paste and merge pictures and texts into their own work. Pupils use software to produce graphs representing changes in their pulse rate after undertaking different forms of exercise. In a good lesson seen during the inspection, pupils were observed expertly preparing a multi-media presentation about the Greeks. They independently accessed the Internet and sought information about their chosen aspect. They selected text and pictures and copied them into each of the slides they were preparing.

p.26

Weaknesses

61. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection so it is not possible to make a judgement about the quality of teaching. The lesson observed with the oldest pupils was of a good quality. The teacher displayed good subject knowledge and made effective use of the interactive whiteboard for demonstration purposes.

p.26

Weaknesses

62. Records have recently been established to indicate pupils’ progress but they have not been in place long enough to enable the information to be used effectively to target groups and individuals and to identify areas for improvement in the subject.

p.26

ICT across the curriculum

Pupils make good use of their ICT in other subjects as can be seen from the examples quoted in the commentary above.

p.26

HUMANITIES

History and geography have common strengths and weaknesses.

p.26

Strengths

• In both subjects visits to places of interest and visitors to school enhance the quality of learning.

p.26

Weaknesses

• The quality and range of pupils’ written work, particularly the higher attainers, are not as good as they should be. • There are no opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor and evaluate the quality of provision in the subjects. Ettington CofE Primary School - 27

p.26

GEOGRAPHY

Provision in geography is satisfactory .

p.27

Commentary

63. Pupils’ standards are satisfactory by the end of Years 2 and 6. This was also the case at the time of the previous inspection. Pupils make satisfactory progress in a limited range of topics, beginning with the school and the local area. The travels of a teddy bear ‘Barnaby Bear’ help younger pupils to think of places further away. Pupils learn about a selection of places and environments such as polar regions and the rainforests. They begin to understand that maps have different scales, and can be used for a variety of purposes, such as tourism, mining, or driving.

p.27

Commentary

64. Generally, the pupils’ work indicates that the teaching and learning are satisfactory over the long term. Only one lesson was seen during the inspection. This was a good lesson because the teacher used a large picture book very well, and kept the pupils entranced with the atmosphere she created when explaining about rainforests. The writing that they did at the end made them think hard, and gave them good practice in writing about different things, although this does not happen very often in geography lessons. Pupils’ learning is well helped by their visits to a local tourist town, farms, and the village.

p.27

Commentary

65. Pupils make sound progress through the school, and they attain a satisfactory standard by the time they leave the school. Overall, this is much the same picture as at the time of the previous report. Before the end of Year 2, pupils learn about how people lived in past times. For example, they compare the lives of Victorian children with their own. By the end of Year 6, pupils have learned about a range of different time periods, people and events, including, for instance, the Roman invasion of England, Saxon settlements, Henry VIII and Tudor life, the Great Fire of London, and World War I. The lower attaining pupils do not understand well enough how these periods lead from one to another in the flow of English history.

p.27

Commentary

66. The teaching and learning are satisfactory in the long term. The single lesson that was seen with the year 3/4 pupils was also satisfactory. In this lesson, the teacher organised an imaginative role-play session as Saxon settlers moving into a new area. Pupils were in groups discussing where they could best build a new village, taking into account where the water was available, where there was farming land, trees for building, and so on. This discussion and acting session took a long time, however, and there was little time left to do very much written work. Visits to local places of interest such as a castle, historic town and replica period houses are a valuable aid to pupils’ learning. During the inspection, there was a visit by a volunteer dressed as Samuel Pepys, to talk about his diary, and the great fire that burned London. This added life and greater interest to the pupils’ learning.

p.27

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

p.27

Strengths

• Pupils develop a good understanding and respect for other peoples’ beliefs and customs. Ettington CofE Primary School - 28

p.27

Weaknesses

• Teachers do not make sufficient use of the subject to develop pupils’ writing skills. • Resources are unsatisfactory. • The co-ordinator has not had the opportunity to monitor the quality of teaching and learning.

p.28

Commentary

67. Pupils make satisfactory progress in learning about the beliefs, customs, dress and places of worship of different religions, especially Christianity. They learn many good lessons about moral and social behaviour from their studies of the different religions and their codes of behaviour. They reach a satisfactory level of understanding by the end of Year 6. Pupils learn, for instance, about Judaism, Islam and Sikhism, as well as many stories from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Sometimes, the lower attaining pupils are unsure which religion the various stories come from. Pupils do, however, develop a good respect for religion, and for people who are part of different religions.

p.28

Commentary

68. The teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, with much practical teaching involved including: talking to visitors dressed in the clothes of their own religion; visiting places of worship, particularly the local church; dressing in different clothes; and handling the holy items of other religions. One class is looking at ‘authority’, and how it can come from religions and their beliefs and rules. Pupils relate this well to their own rules in the school and their own class. One satisfactory lesson with the youngest pupils was looking at the story of the Good Samaritan. Pupils listened carefully and were deciding who was kind, and what stopped the others helping the stranger. The teacher used the story well to get the pupils thinking about how they could be kind to each other in their everyday lives. They acted out the story well, but very few could remember that it was Jesus who originally told the story, or which religion it

p.28

Commentary

was from. A scrutiny of work shows that pupils are not being suitably challenged in their writing and work is not always well presented.

p.28

Commentary

69. This subject is led well, with a clear plan of what should be taught, and increasing use of the community as a resource to enrich the pupils’ learning. There is, however, no opportunity for the co-ordinator to see other lessons to check on their quality, and the resources have not yet been built up to a satisfactory level because of budget restrictions. All staff have had some additional training in how to teach this subject, and all classes have a ’worship corner’ about their chosen religion.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Provision in art and design, design and technology, music and physical education is satisfactory.

p.28

AESTHETIC SUBJECTS

Two lessons were seen in art and design and only one in music and physical education. No lessons were seen in design and technology. It is not possible therefore to make any overall judgements about the quality of teaching or the standards pupils achieve in music, design and technology and physical education. No judgements can be made about whether the unsatisfactory standards found during the previous inspection in music have been rectified. In art and design the quality of education and the quality of teaching are satisfactory overall. Pupils of all attainment levels achieve standards that are similar to those found in most schools. In all the subjects, teachers' planning indicates that National Curriculum requirements are met. Ettington CofE Primary School - 29

p.28

Strengths

• Good links made with other subjects and areas of the curriculum. • Pupils are given good opportunities to work with different media and tools.

p.29

Weaknesses

• Pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to develop an appreciation of the styles used by well known artists • The role of the co-ordinator is under developed

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Commentary

70. In Class 4 pupils in history are studying Ancient Greece. As a result of very good teaching they link their artwork well to the topic. The teacher used her very good subject knowledge and good use of questioning to emphasise points that pupils needed to bear in mind in producing facemasks replicating those used by actors in Ancient Greece. For example, the importance of the mask depicts the character. As a result pupils designing masks to represent Demeter sketched pictures of corn and wheat on their masks to show the link with harvest. In Class 3 good links are made with ICT, with digital cameras being used to create photographic effects.

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Commentary

71. Pupils are given a good understanding of art from other cultures during an Asian Arts Week. They produce batiks, silk paintings and multi-cultural finger puppets based on those found in India.

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Commentary

72. Discussions held with pupils and a survey of work produced in the previous year demonstrate that pupils do not have a satisfactory knowledge of the styles used by different artists. The co-ordinator is very knowledgeable and is aware that more needs to be done in this aspect of the subject but has as yet not been given the opportunity to monitor and evaluate standards in the subject.

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Strengths

• Singing in acts of worship is of a very good quality. • Pupils have the opportunity to learn to play orchestral instruments. • Staff feel confident in their subject knowledge as a result of in-service training provided by the local education authority.

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Weaknesses

• The co-ordinator does not have the opportunity to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning.

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Commentary

73. Teaching was of a good quality in the one lesson observed with pupils in Years 5 and 6. Pupils demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of ‘cyclic rhythm patterns’ when asked to perform. They successfully maintained the beat and became more enthusiastic as the lesson developed, especially when given time to work in groups. Ettington CofE Primary School - 30

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Weaknesses

• The recording of pupils’ progress in swimming.

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Commentary

74. Achievement in the one lesson seen in physical education during the inspection was good and pupils demonstrated precision and control in their gymnastic movements. The very good management of pupils’ behaviour was a strength of the teaching. As a result pupils worked co-operatively in their groups, planning their symmetrical and asymmetrical balances. Good links were made with music as the teacher reminded the pupils of ‘cyclic patterns’. The pupils displayed good attitudes to physical education, which had a positive impact on their learning and the progress made and reflected the school’s efforts in promoting good behaviour. The teacher provided pupils with the opportunity to demonstrate. As they did so she carefully assessed and evaluated their performance. She cleverly involved the rest of the class in this process by saying, “I’ve got a comment to help them but I’m not going to say anything till you’ve had your say”. This had the effect of improving the quality of learning and

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Commentary

75. The school has its own outdoor swimming pool which is a very good resource. However, it is not possible to make any judgements about the standards attained because the school does not keep a record.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship is satisfactory.

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Strengths

• The opportunities for pupils to discuss personal problems is good. • ‘Friendship Group’ lessons are effective.

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Weaknesses

• Pupils are provided with insufficient opportunities to have a say in how the school is being run.

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Weaknesses

76. Pupils are helped satisfactorily in their personal and social development through a variety of lessons. These include sex education and drugs awareness in science lessons, as well as ‘circle times’ in which pupils sit together and talk about, for instance, their personal problems, possible dangers, relationships, their own safety, and ways of behaving. Aspects of how to be a good citizen are also covered satisfactorily in these sessions. There are also good ‘Friendship Group’ lessons, as well as the oldest pupils being training as ’peer mediators’ to help other pupils to settle their arguments and differences. The school is aware that more could be done to involve pupils in the running of the school and has plans to set up a school council. Ettington CofE Primary School - 31

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 3

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3

Attendance 3 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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The quality of education provided by the school 3

The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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The leadership and management of the school 3

The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 1. The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 3

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The leadership and management of the school 3

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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